Monessen Berkley Oak Vent Free Gas Log Set — Ceramic Fiber, 18", 24" or 30" with the Natural Blaze Burner
Every variant on this page is a complete vent-free set: the Berkley Oak ceramic fiber logs — an ember chunk plus seven hand-painted logs — on the Monessen Natural Blaze burner that fits them, with the grate, lava rock, rock wool and flex line in the carton. The 18" set rides the 18" burner at 29,000 BTU/hr on natural gas (28,000 on propane); the 24" and 30" sets ride the 24" burner at 37,000 BTU/hr (36,000 on propane). Pick millivolt standing pilot — with the on/off switch log, or with an on/off, thermostatic or variable-flame remote — or IntelliFire Plus electronic ignition with its RC300 remote and four-AA battery pack; nothing on this page needs a power outlet. from $1,198, with a 5-year parts warranty on the burner and logs.
Choose it if you want the glowing, wood-fire look of ceramic fiber logs — the fiber body glows where the flames touch it — in an existing masonry or factory-built fireplace, or in a Monessen Exacta, Attribute or Lo-Rider vent-free firebox, and you want to size the set to the opening: 26" of front width for the 18" set, 29" for the 24", 33" for the 30", all at 14-1/2" deep and 17" high.
It is not right as a primary heat source — the manual approves it as a supplemental room heater or decorative appliance, and an unvented burner adds about an ounce of water vapor to the room for every 1,000 BTU it burns in an hour. It cannot go in a bedroom or bathroom, in a fireplace whose instructions exclude unvented gas logs, or behind glass doors that will be closed while it runs; a glass-door frame or recessed hearth that stands more than 3" in front of the set is not recommended at all. The room also has to be big enough — 50 cubic feet for every 1,000 BTU/hr of gas appliances in it — and above 2,000 feet the input is derated 4% per 1,000 feet.
Specifications
The minimum hearth for the burner with its logs is 26" wide at the front, 14-1/2" deep and 17" high with a 20-1/4" rear width for the 18" set; the 24" set needs 29" at the front and 23-1/4" at the rear, the 30" set 33" and 25-1/4", both at the same depth and height. A restrictive barrier of up to 3" in front of the set raises the minimum depth to 16-1/2". Sidewalls stay 9" from the side of the fireplace opening and the ceiling 42" above it; the wall above the opening must be non-combustible for at least 12" (8" to 12" with the CABL adjustable hood), a combustible mantel sits 14" to 23" above the opening depending on how deep it is, and the floor in front may be any combustible material except carpet or vinyl, which stay 14" back. In a vent-free firebox the firebox manufacturer's clearances govern. Inlet pressure runs 5" to 10" W.C. on natural gas and 11" to 13" W.C. on propane; each set is built for one gas and cannot be converted in the field.
Ceramic fiber vs. the refractory Berkley Oak
The refractory-cement Berkley Oak is the same eight-piece stack on the same Natural Blaze burner, in the same three sizes with the same hearth requirements, ratings, ignitions and remotes — the difference is the log body. Ceramic fiber is the lighter material that glows like embers where the flame plays on it; refractory cement is cast for sharper bark detail and is the sturdier of the two. This ceramic fiber set starts at from $1,198; the refractory set starts at from $1,238.
Features
- Ceramic fiber Berkley Oak logs in 18", 24" or 30" — an ember chunk plus seven hand-painted logs on the Natural Blaze burner's grate
- Natural Blaze burner technology — taller, more lively yellow flames that light instantly, with a glowing ember bed across the front of the burner
- 29,000 BTU/hr on natural gas or 28,000 on propane with the 18" burner; 37,000 / 36,000 BTU/hr with the 24" burner that carries the 24" and 30" sets
- No electricity needed — the millivolt valve is self-powered, and the IntelliFire Plus electronic ignition runs on a four-AA battery pack with its RC300 remote
- Vent free with an ODS safety pilot in a masonry fireplace, a UL127 factory-built fireplace or a listed vent-free firebox — and also listed for vented use with the chimney and damper open, in a masonry or UL127 factory-built fireplace
- Approved for manufactured (mobile) homes where local codes allow, with a 5-year parts warranty on the burner and logs
Answers to common questions
Does it need a chimney, a vent or an outside air kit?
No — every set on this page is an unvented room heater that burns room air, so it needs no flue. Used that way it goes into a solid-fuel masonry fireplace, a UL127 factory-built fireplace or a listed vent-free firebox. It is also listed (in the U.S.) as a vented gas log set, so if your fireplace can't meet the vent-free wall or mantel clearances you install and run it with the chimney and damper open instead — but the vented listing covers only a solid-fuel masonry fireplace or a UL127 factory-built fireplace, not a vent-free firebox. Either way the room must give it 50 cubic feet of volume for every 1,000 BTU/hr of gas appliances in it.
What size fireplace opening do I need, and which Monessen fireboxes take it?
Measure the hearth the burner and logs will sit in. The 18" set on its 18" burner needs 26" of front width, 14-1/2" of depth and 17" of height with 20-1/4" across the back; the 24" set needs 29" at the front and 23-1/4" at the back; the 30" set 33" and 25-1/4" — the depth and height stay the same. If a glass-door frame or a recessed hearth stands up to 3" in front of the set, plan on 16-1/2" of depth instead. Monessen's own vent-free fireboxes pair the 18" set with the Exacta 32 and Attribute 32, the 24" set with the Exacta 36, Attribute 36 and Lo-Rider 36, and the 30" set with the Exacta 42, Attribute 42 and Lo-Rider 42.
How close can a mantel or the ceiling be?
The clearances are the same for every set on this page. The ceiling must be at least 42" above the top of the fireplace opening and sidewalls at least 9" from its sides; the wall directly above the opening must be non-combustible for at least 12" (8" to 12" is allowed with the CABL adjustable hood, less than 8" is not allowed). A combustible mantel needs 14" above the opening if it is 3" deep, 17" at 6", 20" at 9" and 23" at 12" — the hood cuts each of those by 6". If your fireplace can't meet them, the set must be installed and run as a vented appliance with the damper open. In a Monessen vent-free firebox, the firebox's own clearances apply.
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: Berkley Oak ceramic fiber log set — ember chunk plus seven logs; Natural Blaze vent-free burner with its grate assembly, flex line and pipe fittings, two anchor screws and the installation/owner manual; On/off switch log and wire harness on millivolt models; RC300 remote and battery pack on IntelliFire Plus (IPI) models; Two bags of lava rock and one bag of rock wool ember material; ODS safety pilot; listed to CSA/ANSI Z21.11.2 (unvented) and ANSI Z21.60 (vented, U.S.).
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Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Gas line - a natural gas or propane line to the fireplace run by a qualified installer, with an external regulator where supply pressure exceeds 1/2 psig; A fireplace or firebox to house it - a solid-fuel masonry fireplace, a UL127 factory-built fireplace or a listed vent-free firebox whose hearth meets the minimum dimensions for the size chosen.
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Optional: CABL adjustable hood to reduce wall and mantel clearances, RRCM insulated receiver cover, ACCK-IPIP transformer for IPI models — the set operates fully without them.
Will it work in a power outage?
Yes, on every variant — nothing on this page uses house current. The millivolt models light from a piezo igniter and run on the valve's own thermopile, and the IntelliFire Plus models run their pilot and RC300 remote from four AA batteries in the included battery pack, so a dark house still gets a fire.
Which ignition should I pick, and what does each remote do?
All five choices light the same burner and logs; they differ in how you run it. Millivolt standing pilot is the no-electricity classic: "Manual" gives you the on/off switch log, "On/Off Remote" adds the RCB battery remote, "Thermostatic Remote" adds the TSST touch-screen thermostat remote with its TS sensor so the set holds a room temperature (unvented installations only — thermostats are not allowed when it is run vented), and "Variable Flame Remote" adds the Hi/Lo kit for flame height from the couch. Electronic ignition is the IntelliFire Plus system: no standing pilot burning between fires, battery powered, with the RC300 remote that also adjusts flame height.
Can it go in a manufactured or mobile home?
Yes — the manual approves installation in an aftermarket, permanently located manufactured (mobile) home where local codes do not prohibit it, in a fireplace or firebox that meets the same hearth and clearance rules as any other install.
Does buying from The Torch Guys affect my Monessen warranty?
No. HHT's warranty covers Monessen products bought through an authorized dealer, and The Torch Guys is one — we register the set and, if you ever need to claim, we deal with the manufacturer on your behalf. The vent-free burner and logs carry 5 years on parts, purchased accessories such as the remotes 1 year, and the coverage transfers to a later owner of the home. Keep your invoice and the model number from the burner's rating plate; we hold the rest on file.
